Ball propellers



March 12, 1963 E. BENKOE BALL PRPELLERS Filed Nov. 24, 1961 INVENTOR ERWIN BENKOE ATTORNEY United States Patent Uli 3,080,859 BALL PRoPELLERs Erwin Benkoe, New Hyde Park, N .Y., assigner to Transo-l This invention relates to a ball propeller or thrower for batting practice, or -for playing a game simulating the well known fungo game or other games.

IIt is among the objects of this invention to provide a ball propeller which is simple in design and can be massproduced, which can be used to propel a ball for batting practice or for playing games involving a ball, for example a game simulating the well known fungo-game.

Another object of this invention is to provide such ball propeller useful by one and the same individual to propel or throw a ball leaving the hands and arms free to swing at the ball; thus the ball propeller can be used for batting practice, or for ejecting or throwing a ball to be struck with a bat or paddle in playing a game.

'Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following detailed description thereof taken in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical section through the ball propeller of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is 1a plan view thereof on a reduced scale, as compared with the scale of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view thereof showing the ball propeller in the position in which the bellows at one end thereof is expanded and the ball holder at the opposite end has the ball in position to be propelled therefrom;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view corresponding to FIGURE 3 with the bellows contracted t-o elfect propulsion of the ball from the ball holder; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the ball propeller `to effect propulsion or throwing of the ball for batting practice or other such use by `one and the same individual.

The ball propeller comprises a bellows 111, suitably mounted in -end 12 of a longitudinally elongated conduit 13, having at the Iopposite end 14 a ball support d5. These parts may be suitably dimensioned to -meet the requirements of the age group fo -rwhich the ball propeller is designed and the size of the ball to be propelled. For a ball having a diameter of about 3 inches, the ball support 15 should have substantially the same diameter so that the ball can be disposed thereon, as shown in FIG- URES 1 and 3, to make a substantially gas tight seal between the relatively thin cylindrical rim 16 of the ball support 1'5 and the ball B. Desirably the rim 16 has inherent flexibility to exert an elastic grip on the ball. lt is designed to hold the ball as shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 so that about one half of the ball protrudes above the rim 16 and the other half extends therebelowf The length of the portion of conduit 13 between the ball support 15 and the bellows 11 can be about a foot, more or less. The bellows desirably has a diameter of about A4 inches, more or less. It will be appreciated that these dimensions represent one exempliiication -and they may be varied as desired.

Preferably, the bellows is made of polyethylene, polypropylene or synthetic or natural rubber so that it has the desired flexibility permitting expansion by the inherent nature of the material and contraction to expel the air therein when force is applied to the top 1'7 of the bellows. The bellows may be molded in two sections, each forming a half of the bellows, which sections may be joined in a suitable manner; for example, when using thermoplastic materials such as polyethylene or poly- Patented Mar. 12, 1963 propylene, the two sections maybe joined by heat and pressure to form a unitary construction.

The bellows consists of any desired number `of sections 18, ylive being shown in the drawings, which are contracted when a downward force is applied to top 1'7 and which automatically expand to the .position shown in FIGURE 1 when the force is relieved. The base of the bellows is cone-shaped, forming a base air chamber, the side Walls of which converge towards the bottom Wall 22 of chamber 20 from a neck 21 where the air chamber joins the lowermost of the bellows section 18. An annular groove 23 is formed just above the chamber 20. This chamber has a plurality of spaced openings 24 about its periphery. Any suitable number of such openings can be provided, preferably equally spaced about the periphery of the truncated conical chamber 20. Four such openings, spaced approximately apart, are preferred.

End l12 of conduit 13 is formed with a circular opening 25, defined by the inner edge of a ilange 26 at the top of air'chamber 27 positioned -at end 12. Flange 26 is suiciently iiexible and so dimensioned as to enable the truncated conical base 20 of the bellows 11 to be forced into chamber 27 with the flange 26 locking in the annular groove 23 to securely hold the bellows in place in chamber 27. The bellows 11 can be removed from the chamber 27 by applying sufficient force to remove it and can readily be reinserted by exerting suflicient downward pressure to force it into place with the flange 26 locked within groove 23. As a practical matter, once assembled there is no need to separate these two members. The 4above `described two part construction is preferred because it simplifies and cheapens construction. The invention, however, in its broader aspects, includes a unitary construction of bellows 11, joining conduit 13 and ball holder v15.

Chamber 27 communicates with longitudinally extending conduit 13, which is shaped as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 so that it converges from chamber 27 toward opposite end 14, where the ball support 15 is located. The ball support 15, as noted, comprises a thin, preferably ilexible rim 16 positioned at the top of a generally cylindrical housing 31, which housing communicates with the downwardly diverging Walls 32 in open communication with the discharge end 14 of conduit 13. These diverging walls 32 are joined to the converging walls 33 which are in turn joined to the base 34. Walls 32 and 33 define a plenum or propelling chamber 35 which is in constant open communication with the chan. nel 28 through a restricted throat 36. The assembly of chamber 27, conduit 13, propelling chamber 3S, and the ball support preferably is molded in two units, one an upper unit, the lower edges of which lie in a plane passing through line 36 shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and the other a lower unit constituted of the portion below this plane indicated by line 36. Both units can be of rigid polyethylene, polypropylene, hard rubber, vinyl resins and other such plastics, except for the rim 16 forming the upper portion of the ball support, which is of liexible material such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Employing polyethyleneor polypropylene, the molding operation can be so conducted as to produce a section having the exible rim 16, with the rest thereof rigid. Alternatively, the rim 16 can be joined by heat and pressure to the remainder of the upper section after formation of the latter. The upper and lower sections are suitably joined along the abutting edges as by heat and pressure suliicient to form the desired joint, all as Well known in the molding art.

In use, the ball is placed on the ball support 15; automatically a substantially gas tight seal is produced between the periphery of the ball and the rim 16 due to the weight of the ball causing it to settle and the yielding pressure exerted by the rim 16. If desired, hand pressure can be exerted on the ball to seat it securely in the ball support. Thereafter, the user applies pressure to the top 17 of the bellows 11. This can be done by the foot of the user, as shown in FIGURE 5, preferably by stepping down sharply on top 17 of the bellows. This results in the forcible ejection of the air within the bellows through the openings 24, into and through chamber 27, conduit 13 which converges to provide the narrow throat 36 through which the stream of air ows into the plenum or propelling chamber 35 where the increased velocity of the air flow as it expands after leaving the throat 36 eifects the forcible ejection of the ball from its seat or support. The fact that about half the ball is within chamber 35 provides a large surface of the ball on which the air stream acts andv aids in ejecting the ball so that it rises a suitable height depending upon the force exerted on the bellows 11. A sharp application of force as by stamping on top 17 of the bellows will eject the ball upwardly a maximum distance. The user, when the ball propeller is used for batting practice, attempts to bat or strike the ball upon ejection. Since the ejection is effected by the foot of the user as shown in FIGURE 5, the hands and arms are free to wield the bat.

lt will be noted that the present invention provides a bail propeller which enables the user to engage in batting practice or to play 'other games, many forms of which will occur to children and adults using this ball propeller. For example, the ball propeller of this invention can be used as a fungo game to propel the ball for others to bat, or in a game where the object is to catch the ball. The ball used can be a lightweight ball, preferably plastic, having a mass such that it can be propelled to a suitable height. It will be appreciated, however, the invention is not conlined to the use of plastic balls, but can be used with other balls.

Since different embodiments ot' the ball propeller disclosed herein can be made without departing from the scope of this invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A ball propeller for ejecting a ball in a substantially vertical direction comprising, in combination, a longitudinally elongated conduit having at least a substantial portion of its underside fiat and having one end formed as an air-receiving chamber defined by upstanding walls at said one end of said conduit, and having the other end of said conduit formed as a ball propelling chamber defined by upstandlng walls at said other end of said conduit, said upstanding walls of said ball propelling chamber having at their upper edges an upstanding thin rim having a diameter arranged to engage the periphery of the ball at about the diameter thereof to make a substantially gas-tight seal therewith, an upstanding bellows having an air discharge chamber at its lower end positioned in said air-receiving chamber for discharge of air from said bellows when compressed, into said airreceiving chamber, the upper end of said bellows being arranged to receive an energizing force to compress the bellows and effect the discharge of air therefrom into said air-receiving chamber for flow therethrough and through the communicating longitudinally elongated conduit into said ball propelling chamber to effect propulsion of the ball supported on the said upstanding thin rim in a generally upward direction.

2. The ball propeller as defined in claim l, in which the said air-receiving chamber has an inwardly extending fiange at the upper end of the upstanding walls thereof, and the bellows is a substantially cylindrical bellows composed fof a plurality of expansible and contractible bellows sections, the lowermost of which communicates with an air discharge chamber having at least one opening therein for discharge of air from the bellows, said bellows having an annular groove positioned between the lowermost bellows section and said air discharge chamber, which annular groove is arranged to receive the inwardly extending ange on the upstanding walls of said air-receiving chamber. l

3. A ball propeller for ejecting a ball in a substantially vertical direction comprising, a longitudinally elongated conduit having a substantially flat underside, having one end of the conduit formed as an air-receiving chamber defined by upstanding walls at said one end of said conduit, and having the other end of said conduit formed as a ball propelling chamber dened by upstanding walls at said other end of said conduit, said opstanding walls of said ball propelling chamber having at their upper edges an upstanding thin rim for supporting a ball, said thin rim having a diameter arranged to engage the periphery of the ball` at about the diameter thereof to make a substantially gas-tight seal therewith, the side walls of said longitudinally elongated conduit converging from said air-receiving chamber to said ball propelling chamber to provide a relatively narrow throat connection between the said other end of the longitudinally extending conduit and the ball propelling chamber thereat, a bellows having an air discharge chamber at its base, a top surface adapted to receive an energizing force to compress the bellows, and a plurality of expansible and contractible bellows sections between said top surface and said air discharge chamber, said bellows being mounted upright in said air-receiving chamber with the air discharge chamber of said bellows positioned in said airreceiving chamber.

4. The ball propeller as defined in claim 3, in which said air-receiving chamber is substantially circular in cross-section and has at the upper end of said upstanding walls an inwardly extending liange, said bellows is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an annular groove positioned between the air discharge chamber and the lowermost bellows section, said air discharge chamber is of truncated, conical shape and has spaced openings in the side walls thereof for discharge of air therethrough upon compression of the bellows, into said air-receiving chamber, and said inwardly extending flange makes a snap fit with said annular groove in the bellows.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,975,779 Pope Mar. 21, 1961 2,993,297 Bednar et al. July 25, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,572 Great Britain Dec. 3, 1925 

1. A BALL PROPELLER FOR EJECTING A BALL IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL DIRECTION COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED CONDUIT HAVING AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF ITS UNDERSIDE FLAT AND HAVING ONE END FORMED AS AN AIR-RECEIVING CHAMBER DEFINED BY UPSTANDING WALLS AT SAID ONE END OF SAID CONDUIT, AND HAVING THE OTHER END OF SAID CONDUIT FORMED AS A BALL PROPELLING CHAMBER DEFINED BY UPSTANDING WALLS AT SAID OTHER END OF SAID CONDUIT, SAID UPSTANDING WALLS OF SAID BALL PROPELLING CHAMBER HAVING AT THEIR UPPER EDGES AN UPSTANDING THIN RIM HAVING A DIAMETER ARRANGED TO ENGAGE THE PERIPHERY OF THE BALL AT ABOUT THE DIAMETER THEREOF TO MAKE A SUBSTANTIALLY GAS-TIGHT SEAL THEREWITH, AN UPSTANDING BELLOWS HAVING AN AIR DISCHARGE CHAMBER AT ITS LOWER END POSITIONED IN SAID AIR-RECEIVING CHAMBER FOR DISCHARGE OF AIR FROM SAID BELLOWS WHEN COMPRESSED, INTO SAID AIRRECEIVING CHAMBER, THE UPPER END OF SAID BELLOWS BEING ARRANGED TO RECEIVE AN ENERGIZING FORCE TO COMPRESS THE BELLOWS AND EFFECT THE DISCHARGE OF AIR THEREFROM INTO SAID AIR-RECEIVING CHAMBER FOR FLOW THERETHROUGH AND THROUGH THE COMMUNICATING LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED CONDUIT INTO SAID BALL PROPELLING CHAMBER TO EFFECT PROPULSION OF THE BALL SUPPORTED ON THE SAID UPSTANDING THIN RIM IN A GENERALLY UPWARD DIRECTION. 